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Flexible strike capability and aircraft carriers

Great Britain is in serious danger of becoming a significant irrelevance in the eyes of our allies

November 27 2010, 12:01am, The Times

A digitally manipulated image of a Harrier pilot’s view as he prepares to take off from aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal.Jonathan Hamlet / MoD/Crown Copy

Sir, Further to your powerful leading article (“Plane stupid”, Nov 25), in the recent eight-hour defence debate in the House of Lords there was overwhelming concern expressed by many from all sides of the House with regard to losing our flexible strike capability, namely our Harrier fleet, and indeed HMS Ark Royal.

As a former Chief of Defence Staff, Admiral Lord Boyce said, history has demonstrated that overfly rights have often been denied in time of tension and conflict. We have told the world we are leaving Afghanistan in 2014-15 so it is not a choice between the Tornado or the Harrier. We need both aircraft for our ongoing needs at least until 2020, even if both fleets of aircraft have to be somewhat reduced.…